Ireland boss draws ‘tie of the round’

Ireland manager Martin O’Neill designated it the “tie of the round” yesterday after he helped pair Cork City and St Patrick’s Athletic in the draw for the Third Round of the FAI Cup.

Holders Pats will have to travel to Turner’s Cross to play league runners up City, following the draw which was made in the Showgrounds in Sligo.

Other all-Premier Division ties see Derry City hosting Drogheda United, Galway United at home to champions Dundalk, and Bohemians entertaining Bray Wanderers to Dalymount Park.

Non-league Cockhill Celtic have home advantage against Longford Town, as have Munster Senior League side Cobh Wanderers against Sligo Rovers and AUL outfit Sheriff YC against Athlone Town.

The remaining fixture is an all-Leinster Senior League clash between Tolka Rovers and Killester United.

The games will be played on the week ending August 23.

Irish clubs in Europe also learned their destiny yesterday, if they can find a way through their current fixtures.

In the Champions League, Dundalk will face either Videoton of Hungary or The New Saints of Wales, if they can overturn their 1-2 deficit against BATE Borisov in Oriel Park next Wednesday.

In the Europa League, UCD, one-down against Slovan Bratislava after the first away leg, will face FC Krasnodar of Russia if they can prevail, while Shamrock Rovers would play either Sweden’s Elfborg or Denmark’s Randers if they can somehow come back from two-down against Odds Ballklubb in Norway next week.

On the domestic front, Cork City, who will be without the suspended Colin Healy, resume their pursuit of leaders Dundalk in the SSE Airtricity Premier Division today when they travel to the City Calling Stadium to take on Longford Town (7.30).

“We know it will be tough,” says Cork boss John Caulfield. “Tony Cousins has done an exceptional job there and has picked up a lot of good players. I’ve seen them quite a few times and they love to have a go off the bigger teams when they are at home, so we are expecting that.”

And, coinciding with the FAI’s AGM in Sligo today, Athlone Town have called on Irish football’s governing body to scrap the eight-team First Division as “not fit for purpose” and to re-structure the League of Ireland as a single league with no relegation or promotion.

“What we suggest is to have all teams at the same level,” they said in a statement, “but split the league into two conferences, in a manner that is identical to the current MLS format.”

The club added: “We hope the debate on the league’s future begins today, as Athlone Town AFC feel it is vital that action be taken sooner rather than at a point when it is too late.”